UCA senior forward Taylor Baudoin scored 59 points between two games Feb. 14 and 17, pushing the Sugar Bears basketball (18-7, 11-3 SLC) win streak to three.
Baudoin joined UCA’s 1000-point club after her scoring outburst Feb. 14.
“She makes hustle plays,” coach Sandra Rushing said.“She’s quick to the ball. For her size, being able to play inside and out, that’s great to have.”
UCA won at McNeese State University (11-13, 7-7 SLC) on Valentine’s Day 51-45 and beat Nicholls State University (12-13, 7-7 SLC) 60-42 Feb. 17 at the Farris Center. Baudoin got things started early for UCA against Nicholls State with a 3-pointer to give the Sugar Bears a 3-1 lead.
Both teams struggled to control possessions early in the game, with two turnovers by both teams within the first 1:30 of the game. UCA took an early 11-7 lead, but the Colonels went on a 6-point run, and UCA tied the score to end the first quarter 13-13. UCA locked down on defense and went on a 10-2 run — including 4 points from Baudoin — in the second quarter, but Nicholls answered back with the final 9 points of the half and a 24-23 halftime lead.
Baudoin said the the team took a new mentality into the second half. UCA pushed the ball with a quicker pace and attacked the basket more.
“The last two or three minutes of the second quarter we just relaxed and didn’t attack anymore,” Baudoin said. “Coming into the third, we had to attack and in the fourth, push it out.”
The lead switched between the two teams for seven straight possessions at the start of the third quarter. UCA went on a 10-point run highlighted by 3-pointers from junior guards Kamry Orr and Antonija Bozic to take a 39-30 lead.
Baudoin scored 11 straight points for the Sugar Bears in the fourth quarter, and UCA held the Colonels under 28 percent shooting in the second half. UCA took its eleventh conference win 60-42.Sophomore guard Taylor Sells was injured with 1:29 left to play in the fourth quarter, but did walk off of the court on herown.
Against McNeese, Baudoin put up 30 points in a game that didn’t see much other offensive success. UCA shot just above 30 percent for the game, making 20 of 66 shots, including only one of 20 from beyond the arc.
McNeese State shot decently in the first half, at 40 percent and took a lead into halftime at 25-24. They were slowed down in the second half, however, only shooting around 29 percent after the break. What made the difference for the Sugar Bears was points from turnovers.
UCA had 16 points from turnovers, while the Cowgirls failed to muster any points through that manner. McNeese started the game on a 7-0 run, with 4 points from red shirt freshman forward Bre’Ashlee Jones. UCA’s only success came from Baudoin, who scored all of UCA’s 12 points in the first quarter.
McNeese took an 18-12 lead into the second quarter.Senior center Kierra Jordan got a layup in the paint early in the second quarter to kick-start a more successful quarter for the Bears.The Cowgirls climbed to an 8-point lead at 23-15, but the Bears went on a 9-2 run to end the half at 25-24 in favor of McNeese.
An early layup in the third quarter gave the Sugar Bears their first lead of the game at 26-25, and they wouldn’t look back from there.The Sugar Bears scored 17 points in the quarter,including 9 points from Baudoin. The Bears maintained a 6-point margin through the fourth quarter and won 51-45.
UCA held the rebounding advantage for the game, with 47 rebounds — including 21 offensive rebounds —compared to the Cowgirls’ 36.
UCA has four games left before the Southland Conference Tournament in Katy,Texas, starting March 7, with its next game against Stephen F.Austin University, scheduled for Feb. 21 in the Farris Center.
Photo by Travis Gupton.
